A Sad Centennial … and Mon the Irish

November 11th, 2009 | by: Ian Rose | Comments Off

I always hoped that even in my sloth, often going weeks between updates, I would reach the point of 100 posts for Scotland World Cup Blog, and today, that’s right where we are. This is 100, and it feels completely empty. I won’t say much on the death of Robert Enke, because I would simply be repeating what has already been said. But I’m reminded of the day Phil O’Donnell left us, collapsing on the pitch, or earlier the day I sat at home and watched cyclist Fabio Casartelli careen off a Tour de France descent to his death. We forget that the athletes we admire and adore are human, and have all the same basic frailties as we do. For all their skill and ability, they have problems, both physical and mental, and sometimes those problems are more than they can bear. RIP Robert Enke.

On, rudely, to the business of the day. Scotland is in action this weekend in a friendly with Wales in Cardiff, but that is not what I came to write about today. On Saturday, Ireland host the French in the first leg of their knockout World Cup qualifier. Winner (over two legs, of course) moves on to the big show in South Africa. For the loser, nothing.

We’ve known for far too long that Scotland wasn’t going to make this World Cup. Even before it was official, we knew it wasn’t going to happen, and so, like in so many recent tournaments, the time came to decide which side to support. Sometimes, like in Euro 2008, there is some argument. (Full disclosure – that tournament, I put my support behind Romania, and was relatively pleased with the result) This time around, at least at this stage, there is no conflict at all – I support Ireland.

On Saturday, the Irish will face a very talented French side, but there are reasons to be hopeful. There is, of course, Raymond Domenech, their bafflingly still-employed manager, who will be keen to wrest the crown of most disappointing manager on Earth back from Maradona. There is France’s underwhelming qualifying campaign, which saw them lose to Austria and somehow avoid beating a diminished Romania in two attempts. There is the fact that Ireland went through qualifying without a single loss, but with, it must be admitted, not a hell of a lot of wins either.

France will be the favorite, especially in Paris, but remember, my Irish friends, remember what Scotland did two years ago. We beat them in Glasgow, and we beat them in Paris. We didn’t qualify, but let’s gloss over that bit for now. It can be done. It’s no kind of safe bet, but I’ll take Trappatoni and Shay Given over Domenech and Hugo Lloris any day of any week.

Good luck to Ireland. I hope very much to see a win, and to see you in South Africa.